Spaceflight Now Home



Mission Briefing




Mission preview - Our story looking at the MESSENGER project and its launch.

Launch timeline - Chart with times and descriptions of events to occur during the launch.

Launch windows - Listing of the daily launch times for MESSENGER to lift off.

Weather forecast - The latest forecast for launch day conditions.

Ground track - See the trajectory the rocket will follow during its flight.

MESSENGER - Technical description of the probe's instruments and systems.

Science objectives - Overview of MESSENGER's scientific goals to provide a better understanding of Mercury.

Mercury - Fast facts about our solar system's innermost planet.

Delta 2 rocket - Overview of the Delta 2-Heavy 7925H-model rocket used to launch MESSENGER.

SLC-17 - The launch complex where Delta rockets fly from Cape Canaveral.

Delta directory - See our coverage of previous Delta rocket flights.




NewsAlert



Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop.

Enter your e-mail address:

Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.



Launch weather forecast
Posted: July 31, 2004

 Forecast for Monday, August 2

Issued: Saturday, July 31
Launch Weather Officer: Joel Tumbiolo, 45th Weather Squadron

Synoptic Discussion: "Surface low pressure over the Bahamas will slowly drift northwest, then north over the next 24-48 hours. On Sunday, overall moisture levels are expected to increase, and surface winds will become more SW as the low moves north towards the Carolinas. This pattern favors thunderstorm activity on the eastern side of Florida.

"On launch day, the main concern will be the conditions at the time of MST Rollback. During the launch window, any activity should be offshore, with the main concern being remnant cloud cover and possible light rain."

Clouds: Scattered at 3,000 feet with 3/8ths sky coverage and tops at 10,000 feet; Broken at 12,000 feet with 4/8ths sky coverage and tops at 15,000 feet; Broken at 28,000 feet with 5/8ths sky coverage and tops at 30,000 feet

Visibility: 10 miles

Launch Pad Winds: Southwesterly from 240 degrees at 8 gusting to 12 knots

Temperature: 78 to 80 degrees F

Relative Humidity: 90 percent

Weather: Showers and Thunderstorms in the vicinity offshore

Probability of Violating Weather Constraints: 30 percent

Concerns: Anvil Cloud Rule, Debris Cloud Rule, Thick Cloud Rule, flight through precipitation

 

 24- and 48-hour Delay Forecasts

Tuesday's Probability of Violating Constraints: 30 percent
Concerns: Anvil Cloud Rule, Debris Cloud Rule, Thick Cloud Rule, flight through precipitation

Wednesday's Probability of Violating Constraints: N/A
Concerns: N/A

 

Columbia Report
A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven.
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Mars Panorama

DISCOUNTED! This 360 degree image was taken by the Mars Pathfinder, which landed on the Red Planet in July 1997. The Sojourner Rover is visible in the image.
 Choose your store:
U.S.

Apollo 11 Mission Report
Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD!
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Rocket DVD
If you've ever watched a launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg Air Force Base or even Kodiak Island Alaska, there's no better way to describe what you witnessed than with this DVD.
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide
MISSION STATUS CENTER

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE

© 2012 Spaceflight Now Inc.